The Back-Up Plan

When you're injured, you may be down. But you don't have to be out. Here's how to stay fit—and sane—until you can run again

Runners are notorious creatures of habit. Every week looks remarkably similar: The weekend long run, the Tuesday speed session, the Thursday tempo workout. So if a runner gets hurt and a doctor offers the terrible prescription of "a break from running," the sidelined athlete can panic: There go the racing plans, PR aspirations, and carte blanche to eat dessert. Now what? What do people do on a Tuesday when a track workout isn't an option?

Don't despair. A sensible cross-training program can help you stay in shape until it's safe to run again. "Cross-training workouts can mimic running workouts to help you sustain aerobic fitness," says Tom McGlynn, a three-time qualifier for the Olympic Marathon Trials and founder of Focus-N-Fly, an online coaching service. Studies show that following a cross-training plan will help you make a faster return to your former fitness level when you resume running.

Having a structured cross-training plan can also help keep your psyche healthy, especially if you feel lost without a schedule, says Stan Beecham, Psy.D., an Atlanta sports psychologist. "A schedule creates order, and runners like to maintain the order that their training brings to their day," he says. "An injury that disrupts a training schedule can leave you feeling depressed, focusing on what you can't do. A cross-training schedule forces you to think about what you can do."

So, first, figure out what kinds of activities you have access to and discuss with your doctor which ones won't aggravate your injury (see "Temporary Fixes," right). McGlynn says to choose exercises you can maintain at 65 percent of your maximum heart rate. "Your cross-training effort must be high to provide the same physiological benefit as running," McGlynn says. "For example, on the elliptical, you'll need to pump your arms instead of holding onto the bars. Just make certain that your injury doesn't worsen as a result of these activities."

Swimming:An ideal no-impact activity, but you must be a proficient swimmer to obtain the needed aerobic benefits.

The Injured Runners' Survival Guide

Tom McGlynn designed this eight-week cross-training program for injured runners who want to maintain fitness during a layoff. This plan reintroduces running during week six. However, you shouldn't hit the roads again without approval from your doctor. And in a time crunch, prescribed physical therapy exercises take precedence over aerobic workouts.

WEEK 1SUN: OffMON: No workout, light stretching or yoga (see runnersworld.com/yoga)TUE: Physical therapy—strength and flexibility workWED: 30-60 minutes of cross-training (65% effort)THU: Pool-running intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)FRI: 30?60 minutes of cross-training (65% effort)SAT: Use the elliptical for the same length of time as a normal long run

WEEK 2SUN: OffMON: Pool-running intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)TUE: 30-60 minutes of cross-training (65% effort)WED: Spin class (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)THU: 30-60 minutes of cross-training (65% effort)FRI: Pool-running intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)SAT: Bike for the same length of time as a normal long run

WEEKS 3-5SUN: OffMON: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)TUE: Pool-running intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)WED: Spin class (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)THU: 30-60 minutes of cross-training (65% effort)FRI: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)SAT: Bike for the same length of time as a normal long run

WEEK 6SUN: OffMON: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout) followed by a 10-minute run—1 minute running/1 minute walkingTUE: Pool-running intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)WED: Spin class (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout) followed by a 10-minute run—1 minute running/1 minute walkingTHU: 30-60 minutes of cross-training (65% effort)FRI: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout) followed by a 10-minute run—1 minute running/1 minute walkingSAT: Pool run for the same length of time as a normal long run

WEEK 7SUN: OffMON: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout) followed by a 12-minute run: 2 minutes running/1 minute walkingTUE: Pool-running intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)WED: Spin class (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout) followed by a 12-minute run: 2 minutes running/1 minute walkingTHU: 30-60 minutes of cross-training (65% effort)FRI: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout) followed by a 12-minute run: 2 minutes running/1 minute walkingSAT: Bike for the same length of time as a normal long run

WEEK 8SUN: OffMON: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout) followed by a 15-minute run—4 minutes running/1 minute walkingTUE: Pool-running intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)WED: Spin class (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout) followed by a 15-minute run—4 minutes running/1 minute walkingTHU: 30-60 minutes of cross-training (65% effort)FRI: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout) followed by a 15-minute run—4 minutes running/1 minute walkingSAT: Pool run for the same length of time as a normal long run

How to Gauge Intensity:60 to 75% Effort—Like an easy, conversational run80 to 85% Effort—Harder to chat, but sustainable for longer timesMore than 85% Effort—Like a 5-K; no talking in complete sentences